Wells Fargo Drops 40 Mortgage Division Employees

Wells Fargo has quietly laid off 40 Des Moines-area employees in its home mortgage division.

The Des Moines Register obtained state records confirming the layoffs, which the San Francisco-headquartered company did not publicly announce. Wells Fargo is the largest employer in the Des Moines area, with roughly 14,500 employees.

Company spokesperson Steve Carlson responded to a Register inquiry by attributing the layoffs to "continuing market changes," adding that the company is working to identify other job openings for the affected employees. “The decision to reduce our workforce is made with great concern for our team members, who are an essential part of our success,” Carlson said. “We are committed to retaining as many of them as we can.”